Assange to Obama: End 'witch hunt'

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange called on President Barack Obama to end a so-called witch hunt against his secret-spilling website, appearing in public Sunday for the first time since he took refuge two months ago inside Ecuador’s Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden on sex crimes allegations.

The 41-year-old Australian, who has fought for two years against efforts to send him to Sweden for questioning over alleged sexual misconduct against two women, addressed several hundred supporters and reporters as he spoke from the small balcony of Ecuador’s mission, watched by dozens of British police.

Text Size

-

+

reset

Ecuador President Rafael Correa on Thursday granted Assange asylum, and he remains out of reach of British authorities while he is inside the country’s embassy. Britain insists that if he steps outside, he will be detained and sent to Sweden, as by law, it must meet the obligations of a European arrest warrant.

Assange and his supporters claim the Swedish case is merely the opening gambit in a Washington-orchestrated plot to make him stand trial in the United States over his work with WikiLeaks — something disputed by both Swedish authorities and the women involved.

“I ask President Obama to do the right thing. The United States must renounce its witch hunt against WikiLeaks,” Assange said, reading aloud a written statement. “The United States must dissolve its FBI investigation. The United States must vow that it will not seek to prosecute our staff or our supporters.”

He said that in purportedly targeting WikLeaks, the United States risked “dragging us all into a dark, repressive world in which journalists live under fear of prosecution.”

The White House declined to comment Sunday.

A Virginia grand jury is studying evidence that might link Assange to Pfc. Bradley Manning, the U.S. soldier who has been charged with aiding the enemy by passing the secret files to WikiLeaks and is awaiting trial. No action against Assange has been taken yet.

Assange also urged the U.S. to release Manning but said: “If Bradley Manning really did as he is accused, he is a hero, an example to us all and one of the world’s foremost political prisoners.”

The WikiLeaks founder did not refer in his statement to the Swedish allegations against him or indicate how he believes the stalemate over his future may be resolved, though he said he hoped to be “reunited soon” with his two children.

“I think these allegations are just a way of getting to him,” said Laura Mattson, a 29-year-old supporter from London who joined a raucous crowd outside the embassy. “Is it about the charges or is it about silencing WikiLeaks?”

Maybe an appropriate deal can be worked out for Assange to do public service. Like he could be sentenced to doing Hillary's dirty laundry. If he didn't know in advance that he was going to PO some VPs (V Powerfuls that is) then he was either naive or stupid. Actually, I think stupid about covers it.

Assange is a hero. Bradley Manning is an American hero. The only traitors are those who authorized and are now carrying out unwarranted domestic spying, the "disappearing" of people, indefinite detention without trial, extrajudicial murder, torture, and waging wars of aggression.

Obama's repeal of don't ask don't tell played right into foreign agents' hands. Now foreign agents like Assange can locate and compromise unhinged service members like Manning who openly publish their LGBT issues on line. Assange never should have taken advantage of that troubled and angry young man. For doing that and giving the information to our enemies Assange won himself a lifetime in GITMO and he knows it.

‘Manning a hero, US war on whistleblowers must end’ Assange’s Full Speech RT.com August 19, 2012 Julian Assange made his first public appearance in two months, ever since he took refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Addressing the hundreds of people gathered outside the embassy, Assange thanked them for their support, claiming it was their resolve and presence that stopped British police storming the building. “On Wednesday night, after a threat was sent to this embassy and police desceneded on this building, you came out in the middle of the night to watch over it, and you brought the worlds eyes with you. Inside this embassy after dark I could hear teams of police swarming up into the building through the internal fire escape,” Assange said. “But I knew thered be witnesses. And that was because of you.” The WikiLieaks founder thanked President Correa “for the courage he has shown” in granting him asylum, and to all the nations and individuals who have shown him support. Assange also addressed the US government and President Obama, calling for the “witch hunt against WikiLeaks” to end. “The United States must pledge before the world will not pursue journalists for shining light on the secret crimes of the powerful. The US administration’s war against whistleblowers must end.” News Clip at: http://www.infowars.com/mannin...

To all of you mentally challenged reactionaries here as posters and out there in the ozone which you so happily inhabit you surely have to be reincarnates of those misguided souls such as the Germans of the "20s & '30s, to name but a few, who were so blinded by propaganda and nationalistic delusion that you can't (or won't ) see what your "exceptional" nation is doing to the rest of the world and why it is so hated in so many corners as to make it a ready target for reprisal by so many diverse groups! Your indolence with regard to informing yourselves of what terrible things are being done to others worldwide under the guise of "defending our freedoms and way of life" is beyond amazing! Do you really believe that our proto-fascist regimes be they R or D are operating on your behalf and not in the sole interest of the oligarchs and plutocrats that are the real puppetmasters? Are you truly that stupid or are you ready dupes for the powers that be that are focused on keeping all of us at each others' throats so we won't be so inclined to ferret out the facts about what is being perpetrated on everyone including ourselves in the name of concentrated power and greed? Manning and Assange didn't fabricate the information they are alleged to have leaked. No, this is stuff our government has done and continues to do. If you don't believe that we the people should be aware of these immoral, criminal, and unethical activities then you are no better than the proverbial ostrich. If, on the other hand, you see nothing wrong with what is done but that it should be covered up for whatever reason, then you are one sick and complicit SOB and deserve the worst of what eventually will befall this "great" nation of ours! FREE BRADLEY MANNING & JULIAN ASSANGE!!!!

To all of you mentally challenged reactionaries here as posters and out there in the ozone which you so happily inhabit you surely have to be reincarnates of those misguided souls such as the Germans of the "20s & '30s, to name but a few, who were so blinded by propaganda and nationalistic delusion that you can't (or won't ) see what your "exceptional" nation is doing to the rest of the world and why it is so hated in so many corners as to make it a ready target for reprisal by so many diverse groups! Your indolence with regard to informing yourselves of what terrible things are being done to others worldwide under the guise of "defending our freedoms and way of life" is beyond amazing! Do you really believe that our proto-fascist regimes be they R or D are operating on your behalf and not in the sole interest of the oligarchs and plutocrats that are the real puppetmasters? Are you truly that stupid or are you ready dupes for the powers that be that are focused on keeping all of us at each others' throats so we won't be so inclined to ferret out the facts about what is being perpetrated on everyone including ourselves in the name of concentrated power and greed? Manning and Assange didn't fabricate the information they are alleged to have leaked. No, this is stuff our government has done and continues to do. If you don't believe that we the people should be aware of these immoral, criminal, and unethical activities then you are no better than the proverbial ostrich. If, on the other hand, you see nothing wrong with what is done but that it should be covered up for whatever reason, then you are one sick and complicit SOB and deserve the worst of what eventually will befall this "great" nation of ours! FREE BRADLEY MANNING & JULIAN ASSANGE!!!!

Obama's determined call for an end to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was not, in retrospect, in the best interests of American national security, and people such as Bradley Manning should have never been permitted to be in the military. He and Julian Assange have become heroes to the Left-wing and our enemies, but they are clearly traitors and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Julian Assange thinks too highly of himself and I suspect that he will end up in some prison for faclitating illegal and traitorous activities.

a well placed bullet between the eyes would be perfect for this scumbag

WHy? This idiot has put himself in a prison. He lives in a small office that was turned into a makeshift bedroom. He can't go outside the walls. The worse thing is that his time in this "jail" doesn't count against any jail time he'll get for raping the women.

This guy needs to just give up and face the music in Sweden. Instead his website has turned him into nut. Is it worth it? You're never going to sleep without one eye open. You'll see CIA men in every bush. You think it's just a matter of time before you're grabbed off the street by men in a black van. I wonder if he had the chance if he would do it again?

Assange is just jealous because the Obama Administration has leaked more highly sensitive information than he did. Obama's (top secret data dump) is bigger than Assange's thingy!! Assange knows it so he's green with envy.